Traveling companion app, sleep mask present at Pitch Globally

SAN FRANCISCO--This global tech city certainly attracts people who want to move forward with like-minded people--the ones who are disruptive, innovative and looking to create new experiences.

At WeWork Transbay last January 24, Office Lease Center attended the Pitch Globally meetup which offered a stage for developing startups to pitch their ideas to VCs and investors. Attendees from all over the world watched in the hope of growing, expanding, or developing their own ideas.

Among the presenters was Body Rocks. The company has developed a way for people to enhance music listening experience. Little stones attached to your body or clothing vibrate to the music. Body Rock was looking to distribute in concerts where it can offer a unique experience. The judges promptly asked the audience who would buy their product. The results deemed Body Rocks to have a better concept than actual product.

Jointer had its representative fly in from Israel. Jointer classifies itself as a tech company looking to disrupt the way real estate is dealt with. With its aim to become the NASDAQ of real estate, Jointer looks to allow the average person to invest in commercial property with each buying a percentage. This would eliminate the need for a huge down payment and make commercial purchases easier. Jointer would profit through interests and plan to break through the billion-dollar profit line on its fifth year.

Sana was one of the more eloquently presented companies. Sana’s goal is to help everyone sleep better and easier. Over time and with repeated use, sana should be able to have you sleeping within 10 minutes. The company has already invested $430,000 and is looking to go into production and research with plans to launch next year.

The product itself is a mask that goes over the user’s face and analyzes brainwaves. The mask induces sleep by matching sleep patterns via algorithms. Sana has been tested on 1,000 people and has been proven to be successful. The company is seeking $2.5 million dollars in funding to begin production. It has raised $2 million already but it aims to get $500,000. It will be priced at $250 per unit.

The standout in the event was a group of USF students who designed a travel app called Airreal. Airreal focuses on millennials who prefer to have companions on worldwide excursions. Airreal matches users based on similar interests and hobbies. The app organizes everything from flights, housing, and adventure. This allows users to meet new people without having to rely heavily on their friends when it comes to seeking adventures. The group of students had only designed what the app would look like and how it would function. The idea was still very fresh and still in the works. The students were looking to get the app developed and have been attending several meetings to get $60,000 in funding.

The meetup concluded with networking and an after-party event held at the Harlott. The event was true to its name that it maintained a Shark Tank feel but lacked the same charisma you’d get with the show’s hosts Mark Cuban and Kevin O’Leary. However, the judges offered good, applicable advice for the startup founders and the meetup is definitely a must-go for anyone looking for startup inspiration.